Impeller assemblies and method of making

Abstract

A double curvature blade for a portion of system. The system may include a pump, such as a submersible pump. The pump may include a multiple or single stage pump. The pump may be powered by a selected motor.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An impeller for a pump assembly, comprising:
 a separate hub component; 
 a separate blade component having at least one blade that has a double curvature fixed to the separate hub component; and 
 a separate shroud component; 
 wherein both of the separate hub component and the separate shroud component are configured to be united with the separate blade component; 
 wherein the double curvature includes a first curve in a first plane and a second curve in a second plane. 
 
     
     
       2. The impeller of  claim 1 , wherein the separate blade component includes a plurality of blade members connected to a central connection portion;
 wherein the plurality of blade members is formed as one piece with the central connection portion; 
 wherein each blade member of the plurality of blade members includes the double curvature. 
 
     
     
       3. The impeller of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of blade members includes a first plurality of blade members having a number of blade members different than a second plurality of blade members. 
     
     
       4. The impeller of  claim 1 , wherein the separate blade component having the double curvature includes the first curve extending substantially radially and around a long axis of the impeller and the second curve extending generally perpendicular to the long axis of the impeller. 
     
     
       5. The impeller of  claim 4 , wherein the separate blade component includes a plurality of blade members;
 wherein each blade member of the plurality of blade members includes the first curve and the second curve; 
 wherein the plurality of blade members are formed as a unitary members as the separate blade component. 
 
     
     
       6. A pump assembly, comprising:
 a casing operable to be fixed in a first position; 
 a shaft operable to be rotated relative to the casing; 
 an impeller rotatably mounted within the casing, wherein the impeller comprises separately a blade component and a hub component configured to be fixed together; and 
 a diffuser fixed relative to the casing; 
 wherein the blade component comprises a first separate blade subcomponent having at least a first blade member having a first curve in a first plane and a second curve in a second plane and a second separate blade subcomponent having at least a second blade member having a third curve in the first plane and a fourth curve in the second plane; 
 wherein the first separate blade subcomponent and the second separate blade subcomponent are configured to be assembled as a unified blade assembly. 
 
     
     
       7. The pump assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the first plane is parallel with a plane of a long axis of the shaft and the second plane is at an angle relative to the plane of the long axis of the shaft. 
     
     
       8. The pump assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the first separate blade subcomponent includes a first plurality of interconnected blade members and the second separate blade subcomponent includes a second plurality of interconnected blade members. 
     
     
       9. A pump assembly, comprising:
 a casing operable to be fixed in a first position; 
 a shaft operable to be rotated relative to the casing; 
 an impeller rotatably mounted within the casing, wherein the impeller comprises separately a blade component and a hub component configured to be fixed together; and 
 a diffuser fixed relative to the casing; 
 wherein the blade component includes at least a first blade member having a first curve in a first plane and a second curve in a second plane; 
 wherein the blade component comprises a plurality of blade members; 
 wherein the plurality of blade members are individually fixable within a face recess of the hub component and to the hub component including at least a first protrusion configured to be received in a complementary recess of the hub component. 
 
     
     
       10. The pump assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the each blade member of the plurality of blade members includes a face surface and a flange extending at an angle relative to the face surface;
 wherein the flange is operable to be captured by the face recess of the hub component. 
 
     
     
       11. The pump assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the face recess of the hub component further comprises a first groove formed into a first surface;
 wherein the flange is captured in the first groove. 
 
     
     
       12. A pump assembly, comprising:
 a casing operable to be fixed in a first position; 
 a shaft operable to be rotated relative to the casing; 
 an impeller rotatably mounted within the casing, wherein the impeller comprises separately a blade component and a hub component configured to be fixed together; and 
 a diffuser fixed relative to the casing; 
 wherein the blade component includes at least a first blade member having a first curve in a first plane and a second curve in a second plane; 
 wherein the blade component further comprises a pin and the hub component further comprises a through bore; 
 wherein the pin is received within the through bore. 
 
     
     
       13. A method of forming an impeller for a pump assembly, comprising:
 forming a hub component; 
 forming a blade component separate from the formed hub component, wherein the blade component includes (i) a central member extending along an axis and (ii) at least one blade member that extends radially from the central member; 
 forming a shroud component; and 
 fixing together the blade component to the hub component and the shroud component; 
 wherein at least prior to the fixing together the blade component and the hub component the at least one blade member extends radially from a central axis and has a free edge away from the central axis; 
 wherein fixing together the blade component and the hub component comprises at least one of sonically welding, heat melding, adhering, or combinations thereof the blade component with the formed hub component. 
 
     
     
       14. A method of forming an impeller for a pump assembly, comprising:
 forming a hub component; 
 forming a blade component separate from the formed hub component at least two double curvature blades at the overlap; and 
 fixing together the blade component and the hub component; 
 wherein the forming the blade component, comprises: 
 injection molding the double curvature blade in a cavity of a first plate of a two-plate mold relative to a core of a second plate of the two-plate mold; 
 wherein the double curvature includes a first curve in a first plane and a second curve in a second plane. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 13 , wherein forming the blade component comprises forming a plurality of the first blade member and a plurality of the second blade member;
 wherein fixing together the blade component and the hub component includes fixing both the first blade member and the second blade member to the hub component. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 only drawing apart the first plate and the second plate to access the formed blade component. 
 
     
     
       17. A method of forming an impeller for a pump assembly, comprising:
 forming a hub component; 
 forming a blade component separate from the formed hub component; and 
 fixing together the blade component and the hub component; 
 wherein at least prior to fixing together the blade component and the hub component the blade component extends radially from a central axis and has a free edge away from the central axis; 
 wherein fixing together the blade component and the hub component comprises fitting a flange of the blade component into a groove formed in the formed hub component; 
 wherein the blade component includes a blade member that has a double curvature that includes a first curve in a first plane and a second curve in a second plane. 
 
     
     
       18. An impeller for a pump assembly, comprising:
 a plastic blade component, wherein the blade component has a blade member that defines a first curve in a first plane and a second curve in a second plane; 
 a shroud component; 
 wherein the first plane and the second plane intersect; 
 wherein the blade component is fixable to the shroud component; 
 wherein the blade member is configured to be formed in a mold assembly having a first plate and a second plate, wherein the mold assembly is configured to be drawn apart along an axis to release the blade member and the blade member is configured to be the unobstructed by another portion of the blade component along a ray extending from a surface of the blade member. 
 
     
     
       19. The impeller of  claim 18 , wherein the shroud component is an inlet shroud or an outlet shroud. 
     
     
       20. The impeller of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 an inlet shroud component; 
 wherein the shroud component is an outlet shroud component; 
 wherein the blade component is fixed to both the inlet shroud and the outlet shroud. 
 
     
     
       21. The impeller of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 a motor operable to rotate the blade component. 
 
     
     
       22. The impeller of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a second plastic blade component, wherein the second blade component has a second blade member that defines a third curve in a third plane and a fourth curve in a fourth plane; 
 wherein the blade component and the second blade component are configured to be coupled to the shroud component. 
 
     
     
       23. The impeller of  claim 22 , wherein a ray extending from a surface of the blade member is obstructed by the second blade member.